Sunday, January 13, 2008

Design Team :: Hybrid Tutorial

I am SO excited about this tutorial! I'll be the first to admit that I'm really not familiar with Hybrid Scrapbooking. I keep hearing about it and would love to learn more. When I asked Julie Ann to do a tutorial last month I was so excited to hear she'd do it, and then when she showed me the *adorable* finished project I couldn't wait to share with you! Julie Ann is such an inspiration. She is a published freelance scrapbook artist and founder of The Everyday Digital Scrapbooking Idea blog. I've been on this mailing list for quite some time and it's really full of inspiration and many great ideas for gift giving projects (something I love to do!) She's also recently accepted a position as Creative Editor to the brand-new publication to premiere in early 2007: Scrapbook Dimensions magazine. Click HERE to get their premier issue for FREE. OK, here goes! (You can click on each photo for a larger view.)

Hybrid Tutorial with Julie Ann Shahin

Russian Nesting Dolls, also known as Matryoshkas, are about 100 hundred years old in origin. Matryona or Matriosha was a very common and popular name for peasants in old Russia, and often brought to mind the shapely figure of the matriarch of large peasant families. Today, Matryoshkas have made a comeback in indie design and home decor. Let me show you how I made these dolls using a scan of fabric that matches my bedroom quilt. Scrapping and crafting with the aid of your computer is also now known as hybrid = traditional methods + digital methods.

1. Scan fabric. Make sure your settings are at 300 dpi and for this I have the automatic exposure on the "Document" setting.

2. Next I scan the dolls also at 300 dpi. This will scan them in at their full size so we can create a template. When finished scanning, close your scanning program. My scanning program automatically opens my documents in Photoshop Elements.

3. Click on the doll document. I scanned in three at once. I will be working with the dolls one at a time so I make three duplicates of this file because I'll crop each one. To make a duplicate, go to File --> Duplicate. Repeat if necessary. Next I crop so that I have just one doll to work with. If I need to straighten the doll, I use the "Straighten Tool" in case I scanned it at an angle. (See Help: Contents --> Cropping and resizing --> "To straighten an image" for more information).

4. To have a template for the doll, it is necessary to remove the background. You can do this one of two ways: one way is that you can use the "magic eraser tool" and click on the background or the other way is to use the "magic extractor" tool. (To learn how to use the Magic Extractor tool, see Help: Contents --> Selecting Parts of an Image --> To Use the Magic Extractor). Repeat this for each doll to remove the background.

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5. Next, I rotate my scanned fabric document so that it is horizontal. I drag each doll onto the fabric document. Or you can copy and paste onto the fabric document.

6. Next I line up the dolls so that the bottoms are on the same line. I do this by turning on the grid. Go to View --> Grid. Then move each doll to the line.

7. To "cut" the paper to your template, duplicate the fabric layer. Drag it above one of the dolls. Click ctrl-g which groups and "cuts" to the shape of the template. You can see how this looks in the layer palette below.

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When you are finished your document will look like this:

8. I added a face by using the Scrapsimple Layer Your Own: Angels Biggie. I also added swirls using a doodle brush.

9. Print! I use matte photo paper and use the Best Photo settting. Be sure to set your printer properties for the correct paper type.

10. Since my printer is an inkjet printer, when I use Mod Podge, the ink will run so it is necessasry to spray the digital print with Krylon Preserve-It. This protects the paper and ink. I Mod-Podge the print to the wood piece. I use a co-ordinating scrap paper on the edges or you can paint.

11. When the Mod Podge is dry, add glitter to the swirls. Embellish with flowers, ribbon, and netting for a hairnet. Your dolls are ready to hang!

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Enjoy! Julie Ann Shahin

If you use this tutorial, leave us a link! I'd love to see your finished project!

CONTACT US!

Thanks for stopping by! I'm Deb, a Mom of 3 who loves scrapbooking, baking and crafting with my kids! I also run Say It With Letters, specializing in custom cut wood letters and adorable shapes! Feel free to contact us for more info at debdamboise [at] comcast[dot] net Come visit us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest too!